Kings’ Anze Kopitar becomes 25th NHLer to play in 1,500 career games
With the drop of the puck, Anze Kopitar added to his long list of historic achievements.
The Los Angeles Kings captain became just the 25th player in NHL history to play in 1,500 career regular-season games as the Kings square off against the New York Islanders. He is also just the eighth player to reach the 1,500-game mark with one franchise.
Last month, the 38-year-old forward became the 39th player in NHL history to record 1,300 career regular-season points. A native of Slovenia, he is just the eighth player born outside of North America to hit the 1,300-point mark. The other two active players to reach the milestone are Evgeni Malkin and Alex Ovechkin.
Going into Thursday’s game, he has six goals and 18 assists for 24 points in 45 games in 2025-26.
All set for 1500 🫡
Kopitar, the No. 11 overall pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, has 446 goals and 856 assists for 1,302 career points. He is 28th on the NHL’s all-time assists list, and 38th on the NHL’s all-time points list. He is also second on the Kings’ all-time points list, behind Marcel Dionne, who has 1,307.
Through 20 NHL seasons, Kopitar has recorded at least 60 points in 16 of them. His best statistical season came in 2017-18, where he posted career highs in all offensive categories, with 35 goals and 57 assists for 92 points.
Kopitar has also played in 103 career NHL playoff games, where he’s recorded 27 goals and 62 assists for 89 points. He was a major factor in the Kings’ two Stanley Cup championships in 2012 and 2014.
He has won the Selke Trophy twice, as well as the Lady Byng Trophy three times. He also won the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award.
The Kings go into Thursday’s game with a 24-22-14 record and 62 points, sixth in the Pacific Division and five points back of a Wildcard spot in the Western Conference.